The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Don DelilloRead
At night the sky was very near, sprawled in star smoke and gamma cataclysms, but she didn't see it the way she used to, as soul extension, dumb guttural wonder, a thing that lived outside language in the oldest part of her.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a shift in perception of the universe, indicating a deeper but perhaps more complex understanding.
In this quote, Don Delillo explores how a profound connection to the universe can change over time. The speaker recalls how the beauty of the night sky once evoked a simple, instinctive wonder, akin to a child's view of the world. However, with maturity and experience, this wonder becomes intertwined with complexity and perhaps a sense of loss, as language and reason complicate the pure emotional response once felt.
Themes
PerceptionUniverseWonderTransformationExperience
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion about the changing perspectives on life as we grow older.
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I used to think it was possible for an artist to alter the inner life of the culture. Now bomb-makers and gunmen have taken that territory.
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[I]n the American soul there is a lonely individual standing in a vast landscape. β¨He is either on a horse or driving a car, depending, and either way heβs carrying a gun. β¨This is one of the essential images in American mythology.
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